Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-01-15
DAILY PoST-INIElLIeEMcER



rs paasaee b tbs Hoae q RsDss-
rsnfasIsss Of Tneksr's anti poiyesmy
I'll. which wiH probably Be esne1rssd
"a b. fha Genafs ard VII rseeiya me
ssQpasurs Of ne President, is;mors rad
ioaI slsan sag mensuFs Cor dealing With
polyenmy walsh has thas far besn
adootsd. Il Strikes e he root q ths
sviI, sad Il u difisuis 70 sss boz poiye-
smv can lana oontinus 70 sxist i & Il
passed, and Is enforced - strictly aad
asfaIthfnlly - the pubiie aentiment Of
TIE United states Will justify.
The bill was evidently drawn wAh
great care. and TIE intention 81 IL
aathor 80 70 ieays no loophols thro1Rh
which polyeamisis eozld sseape pun
iahment. les plan i most eomprenen-
sivs. II requires TIC registration Of ali
marriages solsmnizsd in the Territory
Of Utah, and provides 50 adequate pan
ishmsnt for fboss who fail 10 make NE
uropsr registry. Il makes sbe lawful
husband OF wife Of any person pross-
eutsd for blaamy.poiyRamy OF nniaSfui
cohnbltafi8n . oompetent witness
against the aoozssd. Il also defines
polyenmy 20 striesiy thaa there can be 10
possibility Of q doubt In regard 70 What
win constitute the crime. In order that
shs Law may net be loosely enforced, o.
nos enforcsd 1t eli, 81 Territorial OH
eials. she bsil virtually provides for the
abolition Of the Territorial government
and for the establishment Of govern
mens which will derive ita pswer direct
" from WsshinRtOn. All judges ana
sslsotmsn OF the coanty aud probsis
eouEts are 10 be appointed dirsotly b. The
President, Wills the Governor Il 70 sp-
point all shsziffs AID other c1anty on
eials, Justices Of the Peace and Consta-
bIes. Woman suffrage, wkich has
proved 10 be most powerful inssru-
msnt in the hasds Of the Mormon lead
ers for strengthening ths power Of the
church, Is abolished. The militia laws Of
Utah are repealed, and all persons DE-
siripg 10 vote are compelled 70 take .
prescribed oath Of the most iT0a-clad
nature. Il IL not clear. however, what
ofhoiaIs there will be left 10 vote for
under the proposed government, as pro-
vision Il made for The appointment.
sithsr By the President or b. the Gov
eFnos, Of almost ell Of them.
II this bill becomes lav and fails 10
crush poiyesmy, 10 will a. least demon
stFaas that ne legislation, hewever
strong, can crush IL. This Il a. far a.
leelaiation can 10. and. II Il fails, some
other means Of graphing with the evil
must Be devised. II such bill had
been passed twenty years ago, the task
Of enforcing Il would have been much
easier and the probability that the evil
against which u IL aimed would ulti-
aatsIy be erushed woald have been
much greater. Public sentiment would
have approved the measure then, Just
- II approves Il nov, and there would
have bean ne greater obstacles in the
way Of its snfoFcement then than there
ere now.s
In truth, q score Of precious years
have been lsst, 90 far as the problem 81
polygamy Is concerned. In she mean
time. the Mormon church has fortified
itself and grown stronger. Each year II
has beoome better able 10 defy the
efforts Of the Government, and each Seal
Il has increased les power in Utah and
in Idaho and Arizona. ~ we'll. The de-
lay on the part Of tbs Government in
graphing With the problem is as din.
cult 10 understand a. Il lie inexcusable
A qaarter Of century ago Il vas be
lisvsd that she westward sweep OF
civilization would destroy polyaamy 10
the natural course Of events. A very
few years Of the experience which fol
lowed the completion of the first trans
continental railway. however, made
necessary the abandonment Fl thai
hope. Instead Of wisaeFine and dying
Mormonism and polysamy tlouFiahed as
they had never HOaFishsd begore.
Whils they became powerful. she people
watched their growth with an apathy
which IL simply inexeusable.
Apaihetlo A. the people were, howsv-
eF, their opinion on the subject vas we'll
known. and IL IL nos easy 10 understand
why the Government 20 absolutely
failed 10 respond 10 that opinion. Many
causes probably united 20 prevent Goa
eressional action. 10 the hrst place,
there vas a natural horror Of taking
any measures which would seem 10 b
unjust or In any degree 10 Interfere with
the freedom Of religion, Then, too, the
problem was most peFplexing one. and
II Gid no. seem 10 demand an instant
solution, 20 that Congress Iefs il for ia
successor and did not arouse itself "a
such action a. was required. To add "a
ell this, the Mormona have constantly
maintained Al Washington . powerful
lobby, and Q powerful lobby b NOT a
thing 10 BE- desplsed. his usually able al
least 10 keep Congress quiet unless there
isA tremendous popular movement 70
arge Il TO action.
The trst Edmunds' bill vas the hrsi
serious attempa 70 destroy polyRamy
u vas inadequate 10 achieve the great
results expected 81 II, and. after q years
trial. Il was amended end made stronger
In almost every particular. Under this
amended Law great progress vac made,
and she pOlyeAmises found llfs less
pleasant than 10 had bean before. and
discovered means Of evadinR les provi
ssons, Which. though samswhAt neon
veaient, were generally resoFted 10.
Tue Tucker bill is designed 30 strength
ca The Edmunds' lac In the phases